During the 2022 Farnam AQHA World Championship Show and AQHA Select World Championship Show, presented by Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan), AQHA held a townhall meeting with exhibitors to discuss improvements that could be made to the show. One item brought to the table was qualifying requirements. After careful consideration, AQHA adjusted the requirements to qualify for the 2023 Farnam AQHA World and Adequan® Select World Championship Show.
New requirements include a reduction in events required to attend for qualification, lowering the qualifying points required for most open, amateur and select amateur classes, and reduction in Level 2 buy-in fees if qualification requirements are not met. Additionally, the affilite invitee has been expanded to include the top 5 in amateur, select amateur and open.
Following review and approval from the AQHA Executive Committee, the new requirements to qualify for the 2023 Farnam AQHA and Adequan Select World Championship Show have been posted to the AQHA website.
The 2023 Farnam AQHA World Show is slated for October 26 – November 18 in Oklahoma City. The national qualifying period began August 1, 2022, and ends July 31, 2023.
Exhibitors and their American Quarter Horses can qualify by meeting one of the following requirements:
- Earn the required number of qualifying points for the desired class during the 2023 AQHA World and Select World qualifying period, August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023, and pay the standard entry fee. This qualifying achievement will be added to the horse’s permanent AQHA record.
- Participate in four AQHA-approved events during the 2023 AQHA World and Select World qualifying period and pay the standard entry fee, regardless of the number of points earned. Participation credit is earned by horse on a class-by-class basis for the open division and by horse/exhibitor combination for both the amateur and Select amateur divisions. AQHA event is defined as all judge numbers for a particular show or circuit. For example, the Arizona Sun Circuit is considered one event, even though it includes eight sets of points. This qualifying method will not be added to the horse’s permanent AQHA record. Note: exhibitors and horses need only show to one judge or set of judges at an event to earn the participation requirement.
- Qualify as an affiliate (state/provincial) invitee. For each affiliate, the top 5 amateur and Select exhibitors/horses, plus ties, in each class which do not qualify nationally will receive an invitation to the respective world show class. This is also to be expanded to include the top 5, plus ties, in each open class.
- The requirement to have earned at least one-half the national qualifying points has been replaced with the requirement to earn at least one-half point in the respective class.
If the requirements outlined above are not met, an American Quarter Horse can still be entered in the show for a higher entry fee. Open Level 3 classes will require a $7,500 nomination fee per class, while amateur and Select amateur Level 3 classes will require a $5,000 nomination fee per class. Open Level 2 classes will require a $5,000 nomination fee per class, while amateur and Select amateur Level 2 classes will require a $3,500 nomination fee per class. A portion of this buy-in fee will be retained by AQHA.
Additional qualifying opportunities through AQHA Alliance partners for several classes will be released at a later date as details become available.
The list of those who are nationally qualified by obtaining the required number of points by class as of January 31, 2023, will be available soon.
CLICK HERE to read more from AQHA.
